Chapter 130: Sustainable

Richard had to say.

His son really had the right idea going forward with this venture.

Afterall, the comments he was reading was a clear indicator that although people never knew they wanted a product like this in the first place, now they very well knew they needed to have it.

That, in its own right, was the sign of a great marketing campaign.

-

Thirsty Tramp: If someone had told me yesterday, that I’d want a can of cold sparkling water in my hands, I’d have called bullcrap. After watching this ad, I want my freaking bottle of Death Wish, right, freaking, now!

Cattynip Dealer: Never, in my nine lives, would I ever think they’d curse in an ad. Lovely times we live in ladies and gents. Now, where can I get this revolutionary product, hmm?

Aquafina: That ’Marketing fuckbois’ came from the depths of her soul and I refuse to believe otherwise, haha!

Deadly Neighborhood Spider: Somebody get whoever came up with this a marketing award... or a restraining order. Whichever comes first.

Bread Pitt: So, you’re telling me, that I can look like and I’m drinking alcohol while maintaining my sobriety?! Shut the fuck up and take my money!

Gawd Damn: Yes. Me right here ma’am. I’d like to be waterboarded as well! Let me drink like I’ve got nothing to lose!

Scrip Doon: Oh, this is gonna be a great buy for my kids! Those little suckas won’t know what hit ’em!

Ding Dong Pookie: Well, she had my attention the moment she walked on screen. I almost fell off my chair when she began waterboarding the guy. I absolutely fell off my chair once she said; Marketing fuckboys. This is a genius ad for a sparkling water brand... I’m guessing?

Master Baiter: I am happy to report that although I clicked for the gorgeous lady in sequins, my attention has shifted, my wallet is open and where the fuck can I get this?!

Liquid Death: Fantastic ad. Ten out of ten. Will definitely buy it. Love the little reference to recycling used cans too. Nice touch.

Sure Buddy: Is it bad that I want to be waterboarded by her? Or is it just me? Guys? Guys?? I’m not the weird one, right???

Eagles Fan: The kind of ads I want to see at the Super Bowl. Absolutely metal.

Absolute Cinema: I just love how this ad flamethrower roasts 99% of sparkling water marketing and straight disrespects the entire high-sugar soda industry with a punch to the gut. I’m sold.

Nuff Said: Any product that’s comfortable with waterboarding someone in an ad is definitely a great product.

-

Chuckling to himself as he read a few more of the comments, Richard soon noticed that the views on the video had literally doubled in the time he’d spend reviewing it.

’Well, I’ll be damned,’ the man inwardly remarked, an impressed yet equally amazed glint in his eyes.

’I know he said it’d take two to three months before it really takes off, but...’ Richard mused to himself as he recalled he and his son’s discussion a couple days back.

’At this rate... it’d probably go viral in a month, if not less.’ he concluded as he casually exited the post and began scrolling down the rest of his feed.

Meanwhile, Aiden and the gang had finally rounded up their discussions and had switched on the TV to watch the ads together.

Considering Aiden had stuck in a flash drive containing all three videos, it didn’t take long before the gang began cackling as they watched the first of the ads of which Clarissa was in.

Naturally, they could identify their buddies’ frame easily, so they picked up almost instantaneously that he was the one being waterboarded in the video.

Upon explaining why he’d ended up doing it...

"Guys, we have a masochist in the building!" Casper called out to no one in particular.

"Bro, I didn’t know you moved like that..." Clyde looked at him in mock fascination whilst rubbing his chin.

Theo, Benjamin and Larry on the hand were holding back their chuckles... not that Aiden cared.

"You all can say whatever the hell you want. There was no way in hell I was going to allow one tardy actor ruin something I’d planned months ahead for." he confidently stated as he added;

"And I’d do it again if it came down to it."

"Woah, woah, woah! Back, off, man!" Larry pushed back against the air with both palms in a playful gesture.

"He just admitted it! Guys, Aiden North just admitted that he’s a maso--"

Aiden walloped Benjamin with a pillow before he could get out the last of his statement, an action that cracked everyone in the room (including his father) up!

As the room delved into a familiar chaos, Aiden beating up Larry, Clyde and Casper, much to the entertainment of Theo and his Pops, the Death Wish commercial was slowly racking up views across all social media platforms.

Just like Richard had believed, it didn’t take long before the ad started doing some serious numbers over the course of the next two weeks.

Granted it hadn’t gone viral just yet, the numbers were rising steadily enough that it was clear to any self-proclaimed analyst that it was only a matter of time before it did in fact go viral.

Even then, the current 150K+ view count on ViewTube alone was enough of an indicator that there was already a pretty good market for it.

One had to remember that Aiden had also uploaded this ad across every major social media app, so as at the moment, its combined views was already nearing a million views.

More than that, the only ad circulating at the moment, was that of his girlfriend’s. Which meant Aiden still had a whole lot of audience to grab with the other two ads.

Whereas Clarissa’s ad was geared towards general audiences, Scott’s ad were geared towards people in the industry looking for a great alternative to soda, while the last ad was marketed solely towards parents and their kids.

This was all to say, that the moment the entire seventy-five thousand units of Death Wish big tallboy cans landed, complete with all three different flavors, they literally sold out within the very same week.

And though some of the previous establishments didn’t want to buy it at its increased wholesale price of ninety-nine cents as opposed to its former sixty cents, the reality of things soon hit them.

Afterall, when former establishments that previously hadn’t cared for it before bought it at its increased price anyway, it didn’t take long for them to realize whom was holding the cards.

As a result, though Aiden had spent $35,000+ to produce all seventy-five units, it cleanly made $75,000 in net revenue.

Once all the shenanigans had been accounted for, he was left with 40% in gross profit, leaving him with $30,000 that was solely his.

Sure, it was lower than his invested capital, but that was to be expected with most beverage businesses, really.

The returns on the first couple runs were always lower than the gains as it usually required a high start-up cost.

But over time, things would begin to even out... especially in a case like Aiden’s where the margins on return were already higher than most beverages in the industry given its simple production models.

At the same time, the productions costs would cost less with each run, one that was further bolstered by the fact that SlurpPAK had now shifted to a can recycling model.

This was all to say, that by the time they made the next run of a hundred and fifty thousand units, Aiden would only need to invest $70,000 to $75,000, instead of $75,000 to $90,000 capital.

When Aiden’s 40% gross profit of its $150K net revenue came back, he would have $60,000 in his pockets.

If he chucked that back into the model and slapped on a few ten thousand bucks to make $100,000 for the next run of three hundred thousand units, he would make back $120K in gross profit.

By then, he would finally be in the green, and could simply pocket $20,000 and return the $100K+ into production, for a stabilized profit.

Or, he could--which he in fact would--return all of it back into the system for a five hundred thousand unit run, which would easily net him $200K+.

That would mean he was getting back $80,000 in profit.

And if he decided to pump all that $200K, back into the flow for a million units, well... you get the point.

By then, the model would’ve been so lucrative, Aiden would’ve made all of his prior investments back and it would finally be sustainable for the foreseeable future.

It was also why, without thinking twice, SlurpPAK had contacted the young man with their counter offer of twenty-percent, one that Aiden promptly approved.

It was also why, after all this time of conversing over mail and video calls, the young man was finally headed over to their company today to meet with them and sign the deal in person.